Refrigeration apparatus



March 4, 1941. J. H. ASHBAUGH REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed oct. 26, 1959 2 A. EV

. INVENTOR Jol-yu -j. ASHBAUGH CII Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Pennsylvania Application october ze, 1939-, serial No. 301,354

5 Claims.

My invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and particularly refrigeration apparatus including a high humidity compartment for preserving foodstuis which may be spoiled by dehydration.

It is an object of my invention to provide a refrigerator with a high humidity compartment in which the moisture contained in the compartment is controlled.

It is another object of my invention to prevent dripping of moisture on. the foodstuis contained in the high humidity compartment of a refrigerator.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a high humidity chamber in a refrigerator which is cooled primarily by conduction of heat through the walls' of the chamber and wherein moisture which collects inside of the chamber may be conveyed into the stream of dry air surrounding the high humidity chamber.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator embodying my invention; and,

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line lI-II of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing for a detail description of my invention, numeral II designates, generally, a refrigerator cabinet including a heat insulated compartment I2 having an access opening I3 and a main insulated door I4 for enclosing the access opening I3. A cooling sheet metal type is disposed adjacent the top of the compartment I2 and refrigerant is circulated therethrough by any suitable refrigeration mech'- anism (not shown). A high humidity chamber I6 disposed beneath the evaporator I5 preferably includes a top wall 22, side walls 23, a back wall 24 and a bottom wall 25 all formed of material of good heat conductivity, for example, porcelainized carbon steel. The chamber I6 is provided with an access opening Il registering with the main access opening I3 and with an auxiliary door IB, preferably formed of glass, for `tightly sealing the access opening I 1, so that the high humidity chamber I6 is substantially enclosed. The high humidity chamber I6 is spaced from the sides, bottom and back of the compartment I2, as shown at I9. .A plurality of apertures 2I are provided in the bottom wall 25 of the high humidity chamber I6,\ and moisture collecting grooves or troughs 20 sloping toward the apertures 2I are disposed in the same vertical plan as the side and back walls of the chamber I6.

The cooling element or evaporator I5 is normally maintained at below freezing temperatures and cools and circulates the air in the com- 5 partment I2 as shown, for example, by the arrows in Fig. 1. The cooling element dehydrates the circulated air by abstracting and freezing moisture therefrom and the cooled dry air contacts the top wall 22 of the high humidity cham- 10 ber I6 and is circulated through the spaces I9, thus contacting the sides, back and bottom walls of the chamber I6. The air in the high humidity chamber IB is cooled primarily by conduction of heat through the Walls thereof and because of 15 the extended heat transfer surface which maintains the air in the chamber I6 at a temperature only slightly below the temperature of the extended surface, a vrelatively high humidity is maintained therein. Foodstuffs which may be spoiled by excessive dehydration, such as vegetables and foods containing moisture which are kept in open containers, may be safely preserved in the high humidity chamber I6, at refrigerated temperatures.

However, some foodstuffs are deleteriously affected by humidities which are too high and many foodstuffs are'rendered inedible if moisture drips on` them. Dripping may occur if the humidity in the chamber I6 becomes too high and collects on the top wall 22 thereof, where it is most likely to collect since the top wall is the coldest wall of the chamber I6, because of its proximity to the cooling element I5. In order to prevent excessive moisture from collecting in .30 the compartment I6 and to prevent dripping of moisture on the foodstuffs, moisture which co1- lects on the top wall 22, side walls 23 and back wall 24 of the high humidity chamber I6 runs down the side and back waus 23 and 24 into the 40 grooves 20 and through the apertures 2| intothe space I3, whereupon the dry air. circulating around the high humidity chamber I6 absorbs the moisture and deposits it on the cooling ele- -ment I5 which is, of course, periodically defrosted. rThe 4relative humidity in the high hu'- midity chamber I6 may be controlled to some extent by regulating the size and number of the apertures 2l, vsince some of the dry circulated air willpass through the chamber I6 through the 50 apertures 2|, thus absorbing moisture therefrom.. 4If desired, in order to insure thaty moisture collecting on the top wall 22 is conveyed to the side walls 23 of the,A chamber I6 and thence to the apertures 2|, the top wall may be slightly convex. It will be understood that other methods may be employed for removing moisture from the high humidity chamber I6 and depositing it on the evaporator l5, the main object being to prevent moisture in the high humidity chamberl I6 from dripping on the foodstuffs contained From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided improved refrigeration apparatus embodying a high humidity compartment with provision for removing moisture therefrom and for preventing dripping of the moisture on the foodstuifs contained therein. i

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilledin the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims. l

What I claim is:

1. In refrigeration apparatus, the combination of a refrigerator jcabinet, ,a relatively low temperature cooling element for abstracting heat from -the vair in said cabinet which circulates into contact with the cooling element, said cooling element also abstracting moisture from the air in said cabinet, a. substantially enclosed chamber disposed in said cabinet yin which a high humidity is maintained and embodying top, side, rear and bottomwalls and an open front, and a closure for/the front of saidchamber, said chamber having an aperture in'thebottom Wall thereof for draining moisture` therefrom and depositingy itin the dry circulated air, said cooling element in yturn extracting said moisture from said circulated air.-` v

2. In refrigerationlapparatus, the combination ofv a. refrigerator cabinetfa relatively low temperature cooling.y element for abstracting heat ,from the air'in saidI cabinet Awhich circulates into contact with: thevv` cooling IfeIe'ment, said cooling element, also abstractingff moisture from the air in said cabinet,'a subst's'in'tially enclosed chamber disposed insel@ abieetinwbih a ,high humidity is.tmalintainedrandembodying' op, side, rear and bottom wallsjand `anicpenfr n't,a` closure for the 'front of said chamber, and means disposed in the bottom wall of said chamber substantially in the plane ofthe side wall thereof for collecting moisture from the high humidity chamber and depositing it in the dry circulated air, said cooling element in turn extracting said moisture from said circulated air.

3. In refrigeration apparatus, thecombinatlon of a refrigerator cabinet, a relatively low temperature cooling element disposed near the top of said cabinet for abstracting heat from the air therein which' circulates'into contact with said cooling element, said cooling element also abstracting moisture from the air in said cabinet, a substantially enclosed chamber disposed below said cooling element in which a high humidity is maintained, said enclosed chamber embodying top, side, rear and bottom walls and being provided with a closure at the front thereof, the top wall of said .chamber at times condensing moisture from the air in said chamber because of its proximity to said cooling element, and means for removing moisture condensed on said top wall and depositing it in the dry circulated air to prevent dripping of moisture from said top wall on foodstuffs contained in said chamber.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein the moisture removing means comprises the side and back walls of the chamber.

5. In .refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a cabinet having top, bottom, side and rear Walle defining a storage chamber, a cooling element for abstracting heat and moisture 'from the air within said storage chamber, and a structure Within said chamber and dening a compartment having side walls and a substantially iiat bottom wall spaced from the corresponding Walls of said chamber to form therewith a passage for circulating air, said bottom wall of said structure having openings arranged therein to drain moisture condensed on the walls of said structure from said compartment and discharge'the same into the path of air circulating through said passage.l

Jorn: H. AsHBAUc'H.v

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